Hi Guys,
Could really use some help.
for a while I've been hearing a louder than usual gurgle in my stomach. I never thought much of it because I assumed my food was simply digesting. This had been the only sign I saw for months on end
about 2 weeks ago I noticed a pain on my lower left side, usually when I moved, but now comes and goes. I get similar pain on my right side from time to time also. Pain is a little less frequent than that first week, but I still get it sometimes.
my stool habits have definitely changed. The first week I was having trouble going at all- passing small pellets and not feeling "finished", and the second week I was able to go, but then began noticing with certain foods, my stool was formless (rice and broccoli tended to make this happen). Recently, I've noticed thin stools also. Appetite comes and goes
I do have a history of thyroid goiter and got half removed, and my doc suspects that an underactive thyroid could be causing this.
I'm honestly just trying to hope it isn't colon cancer. Was looking for some kind of answers or reassurance.
blood tests so far have been normal as well, no blood in stool to my knowledge, no weight loss or vomiting.
any insights, reassurance, and information you guys have would help me a ton. Thank you
Your symptoms are typical of IBS. Has your doctor mentioned irritable bowel and what tests have you had done? If all your tests are normal, IBS can be diagnosed. I had similar symptoms and anxieties to you and IBS was confirmed. I had an ultrasound, a blood test for celiac, a stool test for Crohns, colitis and h pylori and everything was clear.
Hi Josh
I had the same concerns you are having about a year ago when I gradually started feeling quite ill on a regular and frequent basis. But after a colonoscopy, endoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, ultrasound, blood tests, stool tests, nothing was found, and am now diagnosed with IBS. I had my sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy quite quickly due to frequent bleeding down there, bleeding is a red flag symptom and if you are not, then I'm sure you will be fine. Apart from maybe living with IBS, which I am struggling to do right now, but it is early days and I have a lot to learn from the dietician I'm seeing. But even now I still wonder if the doctors may have missed something, its quite an anxiety for me, especially on my worse IBS days.
I'm sure all will be well, and all the best for the future.
The pain you describe is similar to mine, but for me it was mostly in my right side and felt more like a tautness or stitch than a sharp pain. I hadn't lost any weight, no vomiting and was not passing blood but because the change in my bowel habits had gone for 9 months or so, gradually getting worse, my GP did various blood tests, including test for thyroid deficiency, and even though all came back as normal, referred me for a colonoscopy - which I had within 10 days of being referred. Fortunately that was normal too , so IBS was diagnosed. I am sure that if your GP had any concern that it is something sinister he'd be referring you on, so I don't think you need to worry. By the way, my stools were very similar to your description. If you do have IBS, anxiety makes it worse so it can become a vicious circle. On the positive side, it is possible to manage and control the symptoms of IBS through diet.
Good luck, and try not to worry.
Jan
Hi Phil
I've had routine blood work done andblood tests formy pancreas so far, all of which appear normal.
My doc has me scheduled for a CT scan this week to rule out anykind of bowel obstruction, as well as blood tests for my thyroid. According to her, low thyroid can cause a lot/all of my symptoms.I'm hoping that its that as opposed to something worse as crazy as that sounds.
Yeah, i definitely believe I've developed some anxiety about this. I've been more concious of my health ever since the goiter some years ago.
As for bloody stool, I have yet to notice any. I did eat food with some tomatoes and of course that can make some stool red, but I immediately freaked out.
I'm really hoping my thyroid is the case. It could be with you also. Apparently, the thyroid can wreak havoc on the gut. I've been doing a lot of reading on the subject.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Thanks Jan
Well, I am having a CT as well as blood work done this week, so if anything looks weird on that, I'm sure they'll move further. I really want to get a grip on my anxiety for my symptoms, especially if it will worsen them.
What was the colonoscopy like? I almost want to ask for one regardless of if they find something on the CT.
My mum has an under active thyroid but it didn't cause the symptoms you are experiencing. I had my thyroid checked because I had fatigue and sore joints and it was fine. My bowel symptoms appeared later and were unrelated. If your thyroid is under active you would have weight gain, mood changes, lack of appetite and constipation. You would also gave a poor memory, lack of concentration, dry skin and hair loss. Your symptoms sound more bowel related to me. However, your doctor will want to rule out everything else before diagnosing IBS because other conditions can mimic it.
yeah, hopefully the CT comes back OK then. If something was wrong, it would show on there wouldnt it? I mean, i know it wouldnt be able to diagnose me definitively, but the scan would at least show an abnormality correct?
If there was anything nasty, it would show up. When I had my tests, some organs could not be seen and I could not tolerate one of the tests. So, one of the eight doctors I saw wanted to repeat the scans. However, my eighth doctor told me that this was unnecessary because I had had the same symtoms for three months, they hadn't got worse and I had not developed anything new. He recognised my symptoms as IBS.
if you have no red flag signs such as blood or sudden, unexplained weight loss, then you have nothing to worry about. IBS doesn't show on scans because it is a functional disorder of the bowel rather than a problem with its structure.
Got ya. Well, hopefully nothing shows up. I'm really hoping to rule out cancer, although IBS can still be serious.
Still I can't shake the feeling that my doc may be on to something with the thyroid also. I have had a couple of the other symptoms you described and I know low thyroid can run alongside this other stuff.
No unexplained weightloss and as far as I know, no bloody stools. Had some tomatoes the other day thatgaveea scare when passing, but it hasnt been consistent since that. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see at this point.
Assuing this is IBS, how do you manage it personally? Any tips?
Whilst I wouldn't add a colonoscopy to my bucket list, it wasn't too bad. For me the preparation was the most difficult part simply because of the amount of water I had to drink - I think it was something like half a pint every hour for 8 hours!! I'd describe the procedure itself as uncomfortable at times, but not painful. I'm sure that if the medics think you one they'll do it. Think positive - I know that every little ache and pain is magnified when you're worried about your health, but I have been told that IBS sufferers genuinely are more sensitive to pain than non IBS people, so not just "all in your mind". I find distraction activities and relaxation techniques really help. Best of luck with your scan.
Jan
I keep Buscopan and painkillers in the house in case of a bad flare up. These take the edge off the pain. I have constant, mild pain which I can ignore most of the time without medication. It is stress that triggers the symptoms with me because I have an anxious personality. As this is part of me, I will probably always have IBS.
I have also read that IBS can also cause memory problems acording to the latest research.
It sounds as if you have been to the doctor about these symptoms?
If so I would say there is nothing to worry about or you would have been sent for further tests.
If however, you have not been to the doctor recently it may be worth going and explaining to them your recent symptoms.
If this is just ibs stress and worry will only make it worse so try not to worry too much.
Take care and keep in touch
Sarah
Hi Sarah. I actually have tests scheduledsoon, just looking for some kind of hope to ease my nerves before since most of these symptoms are new/ look bad on google.
I wouldn't google your symptoms; it will only increase your anxiety. I googled a lot prior to diagnosis because I wasn't getting any help, It made my panic worse.
Yeah, I think i try to do it to rule out the wrost, but that usually doesn't end up being the case. I have a CT scan tomorrow and should have the results by Wednesday. I'll keep you guys posted.
Really hoping they dont find anything.
Went to get my tests done today.
After my CT scan the nurse asked if I ever had stomach surgery. I said no and asked if they found something and she said since she wasnt my doctor, she couldnt tell me, but if it was anything that looked odd she's have called a doctor in which she didnt do.
I didnt trust it and called my doctors office since I was almost certain they got the test results. I called and the nurses said they couldnt tell me the results either because my doctor wasnt in, so I have to wait til tomorrow morning.
this is about to be the worst 12 hours of my life.
I would keep phoning your surgery and insist on answers. Ask the receptionist to leave a message for your doctor so he/she can phone you back. Tell them that the delay in giving you your results is increasing your anxiety and you will not tolerate this.
When I had my ultrasound, the radiographer talked me through everything she saw and could not see. She did not hide anything from me and she didn't use the usual excuse that she couldn't tell me anything because she was not a doctor.
I then had a four day delay in getting results from my stool sample. The receptionist insisted that I should ask the doctor about them. I said to her that I was not looking for detailed information, I simply needed to know whether it was positive or negative and surely she could tell me that. She backed down and told me that it was negative.
By the way, I prayed for you last night.